Axel Todd: The Demon Pyro of Fleet Street
by Asthetic
Summary: Attend the tale of Axel Todd. His hair was red and his grin was odd. He shaved the faces of gentlemen who never there after where heard of again. He trod the path that few had trod. Did Axel Todd. The Demon Pyro of Fleet Street.
1. The Demon Pyro of Fleet Street

**Axel Todd**

_Attend the tale of Axel Todd.  
His skin was pale and his eye was odd.  
He shaved the faces of gentlemen  
who never thereafter were heard of again.  
He trod a path that few have trod  
did Axel Todd  
the demon pyro of Fleet Street.  
_

The dense streets of The World That Never Was reflected off the sonic lights that hung on the stained walls of shops. Many Nobodies strutted around, both Organization and Dusk-wise. They swayed and watched the ground, eyes in slits and faces dirty from work.

_He kept a shop in London town.  
Of fancy clients and good renown  
and what if none of their souls were saved  
they went to their maker impeccably shaved.  
By Axel,  
by Axel Todd  
the demon pyro of Fleet Street._

Their eyes averted to the sky, staring at the lightening that flashed and thunder that boomed. Small drops of rain pelted against their face, slowly turning into a hard one.

_Swing your razor wide!  
Axel, hold it to the skies.  
Freely flows the blood of those who moralize.  
His needs were few, his room was bare.  
A lavabo and a fancy chair.  
A mug of suds, and a leather strop,  
an apron, a towel, a pail, and a mop.  
For neatness he deserves a nod,  
does Axel Todd,  
the demon pyro of Fleet Street._

They evaporated from their spots through portals of darkness. The Organization members pulled their hood over their heads, looking down once again. They whispered under their hoods, though, words that almost sounded like they were being hissed out.

_Axel,_

_Does Axel Todd_

_The demon pyro of Fleet Street_

------

A small boat sailed in on the misty water, drawing closer to the dock. A boy with spiky brown hair and ragged clothes, a boy named Sora, looked out at the surface seeing the world he had longed to be in for more than five years. He smiled and leaned his elbow against a wooden staff.

_I have sailed the world  
beheld its wonders  
from the Deep Jungle,  
to the Land of Dragons, yes,  
But there's no world like this one!_

Another man walked beside him, face paled and hair as red as blood. He looked out at the town with cloudy eyes and a grimace.

_No there's no world like this one_

Sora stared at the man, mouth dropped and blue eyes big. He grasped the staff with his worked down hand.

"Axel?" He asked, staring at him with questioning eyes. This was both of their homes. Why wasn't he happy to be back?

Axel looked down, though, eyes squinting. The memories that flung at him; it was almost unbearable.

_You are young_

_Life has been kind to you _

He closed his eyes and walked away from where he had stood.

_You will learn _

Sora let go of the staff and turned to see his friend walk away from him. His heart dropped heavily, thinking Axel's reaction would be better than what he had given him. He followed him, eyebrows arched back and a small frown plastered across his face.

They had docked along the rock shore. Axel had already stepped onto the dock, walking forward onto pure gravel. Sora tried catching up with him, hands winding around at his sides. He panted lightly and made it to Axel's side, staggering to a stop.

"Is everything alright, Axel?" He asked his red-headed friend. He stopped on a stone road and looked toward his friend. Well, looked down at.

"I beg your indulgence, Sora," He told him. He looked out at the city again, "My mind is far from easy. In these once familiar streets I feel- shadows. Everywhere."

He kicked a rock and looked down again, afraid of entering back into the actual city. His eyes flashed as Sora waited for an explanation for his words.

_There was a pyro and his wife  
and she was beautiful_

He smirked slightly at the thought of his 'beautiful' wife. The smirk evaporated quickly, though, into a frown, and he continued.

_A foolish barber and his wife  
He was his reason and his life  
and he was beautiful,  
and he was virtuous  
and he was naive._

Sora listened intently, seeing that his friend's face was in the expression of severe sorrow. He blinked as he saw Axel's nose flare and mouth grimace.

_There was another man who saw  
that he was beautiful  
A pious vulture of the law,  
who with a gesture of his claw  
removed the barber from his plate!  
Then there was nothing but to wait!  
And he would fall!  
So soft!  
So young!  
So lost and oh so beautiful!_

His lips curved out lightly as his fingers spread out into the air. He almost looked as if he was going to cry, from the obvious moisture that threatened to give way in his eyes.

Sora, who watched him with curiosity and pity, stepped closer to him. His face was almost a foot away from Axel's, but the red-head didn't even remove his stare from the city.

"And the lady, sir," He started, interested in his tale, "did she succumb?"

Axel tilted his head slightly to his right and lowered his chin. His fingers relaxed unlike his eyebrows that stayed in their stiff place.

_Oh, that was many years ago  
I doubt if anyone would know_

He relaxed his body and blinked, removing the water from his eyes. It didn't even look as if moisture ever was there. He looked toward Sora, eyes sharp, yet cloudy.

"I'd like to thank you, Sora," He said, nodding, "If you hadn't spotted me, I'd be lost on that ocean, still."

Sora nodded as a 'your welcome' to him. He continued to stare with curiosity, though, and he asked him another question, getting off the subject of his tale. He wondered for a few seconds; was he the foolish pyro with a wife.

"Will I see you again?" He asked, pulling his bag higher onto his shoulder. Axel shrugged, unaware if he would be able to.

'You might find me if you'd like," He said, voice barely audible, "Around Fleet Street, I wouldn't wonder."

Sora smiled, lips lightly closed. He nodded to him and turned to walk away.

"Till then, my friend," He said, almost chirping. He waited for him to say his farewell, but only got a stern nod again. He frowned slightly and turned and walked, glancing over his shoulder a few times to see his friend still standing there.

Axel stood, alone, with only a loose, white, buttoned up shirt with rolled up sleeves that gathered at the end. The suspenders that crossed over his back and lay on his shoulder to his waist were tight yet his trousers looked loose. He looked back down at the ground and flared his nose again, staring at the ground with anger.

_There's a hole in the world  
like a great black pit and it's  
filled with people  
who are filled with shit  
and the vermin of the world inhabit it._

He thrust his head to look up at the dreaded black sky, staring at it with revenge-filled eyes. The sharp memories from within himself shot at him like an arrow to a target, only with these arrows coming by the dozens. The memory of Roxas, his beautiful wife, the small face of his once newly born daughter Naminé. But most of all he remembered the day he was framed.

The day he became known as, Axel Todd.


	2. A Pyro and His Wife

Axel turned on the dull corner that entered into Fleet Street. His hands were tucked into his pockets and his eyes looked forward, blank and unreadable. He looked to his right, seeing the familiar bakery that used to always go to when Roxas was pregnant with Naminé. He snickered and walked faster, knowing he would run into what he was looking for sooner or later.

The streets were mildly crowded with Nobodies and merchants from other worlds. The sound of their offers of their merchandise and prices went in and out of Axel's head. He ignored them, though, knowing he wasn't about to stop and buy something. He took his hands out of his pocket and continued to walk at a faster pace this time.

Two minutes passed and he was already lost. Seemed like the past couple of years had begotten him, since he could almost barely remember where his actual home was. Fleet Street, yes, but still, the years had been bad to his memory.

He passed shop after shop, wondering when it all would end. Never before had he seen Fleet Street so polluted with market. It almost made his stomach lurch.

But he passed one shop, unaware of which one he passed. He stopped and glanced over his shoulder. He remembered that building. He remembered it perfectly. He turned and saw in front of him his shop. A small smile peaked at him and cracked fully onto his lips. He walked toward the door and made the smile evaporate.

It wasn't easy, seeing what he saw next. He opened the dirty glass door, closing it lightly. It definitely wasn't his shop anymore or home. It was the home of a rancid meat odor and roaches and mice. His nose rose in disgust at how the place had gone down from when he last saw. He recalled, looking out at the sign, that it said, "Mrs. Larxene's Meat Pies."

And what was also different was the fact there was someone in his house. A woman, no older than twenty-four, chopped meat vicously with an odd looking knife. She had bright blonde hair tied into two messy buns and then two antenna-like bangs swayed over her face.

"A customer!" She yelled with glee, throwing her knife onto the counter of meat and dough. Axel grimaced and turned to leave, knowing this wasn't where he belonged anymore.

Unfortunately, she wouldn't let him do so.

_Wait!  
What's your rush? What's your hurry?  
You gave me such a --  
Fright, I thought you was a ghost!_

She fast walked up to him, guarding off the door. She patted his back and led him to a wooden chair occupied with dust.

_Half a minute, can'tcher sit!  
Sit you down, sit!_

Axel attempted to stand back up but was only pushed back down by her. He looked up at the woman with emotionless eyes, gripping the ends of the chair with his fingers. She walked away from him turning her head over her shoulder. She walked behind the counter and began to work with the dough and meat, throwing it there to there. _  
_

_All I meant is that I haven't seen a customer for weeks!  
Did you come here for a pie, sir?_

_Do forgive me if me head's a little vague -_

A roach crawled itself within two inches of her hand. Her fingers caged it and squashed it throwing it aside. She stared down at it with disgust.

_What is that?  
But you think we had the plague!  
From the way that people  
keep avoiding --  
No you don't!  
Heaven knows I try, sir!_

She poured some sort of chunky substance into the cooked pie, supposedly meat, and slapped onto the platter before her. She walked around the counter and to Axel, laying the platter in front of him. He recoiled away from it since the smell was unbearable. He observed it, being careful to get to close to it. d

_But there's no one comes in even to inhale!  
Right you are, sir, would you like a drop of ale?  
Mind you, I can't hardly blame them!_

She swayed over to him and set her hands onto her hips. A small dough roller was in her hand, almost falling out. She continued while Axel stared at the…pie that lay in front of him.

_These are probably the worst pies you've tasted.  
I know why nobody cares to take them!  
I should know!  
I make them!  
But good? No...  
The worst pies in you've tasted...  
Even that's polite! The worst pies you've tasted!  
If you doubt it take a bite!_

Axel picked the pie up and balanced it in his hands. Hesitantly, he moved forward and took a small bite from it. An odd crunching noise came from it, along with the popping of meat bubbles. He made a face and tried suppressing it, spitting it out when she turned to get him something to drink.

_Is that just, disgusting?  
You have to concede it!  
It's nothing but crusting!  
Here drink this, you'll need it._

She sat down a small shot of ale in front of him, and he took it without hesitation. Swigging it down quickly, he glanced at her, wondering if he had offended her in any way. She raised her thin eyebrows, knowing his reaction was going to happen sooner or later. She fast walked behind the counter again and brought out another kneed of dough.

_The worst pies you've tasted  
and no wonder with the price of meat  
what it is  
when you get it._

She hit the dough with her rolling pin as if it weren't even a care in the world.

_Never thought I'd live to see the day.  
Men'd think it was a treat  
findin' poor  
animals  
what are dyin' in the street.  
Mrs. Mooney has a pie shop.  
Does a business, but I notice something weird?  
Lately, all her neighbors' cats have disappeared.  
Have to hand it to her!  
What I calls,  
enterprise!  
Poppin' pussies into pies!  
Wouldn't do in my shop!  
Just the thought of it's enough to make you sick!  
And I'm telling you them pussycats is quick._

She popped another pie into the oven behind her piling more small coals into it. She closed the door to it and wiped her hands off on her dress, flattening it out. She put her elbows onto the counter top and leaned down, chin in hands. She tapped her cheeks with the pads of her fingers and watched him dissect the pie.

_No denying times is hard, sir!  
Even harder than the worst pies you've tasted.  
Only lard and nothing more-_

She had walked over onto the opposite side of the counter, leaning back. He looked at her, wiping his hand away of the rotted meat.

_Is that just revolting?  
All greasy and gritty?  
It looks like it's molting!  
And tastes like..._

She paused shortly between her words, afraid of explaining what it actually tasted like.

…_we'll pity.  
A woman alone...with limited wind  
And the worst pies you've tasted!_

Her back arched slightly as she stretch her arms over her head. She dropped them back at her sides lazily and looked at him again, both Axel and the destroyed meat pie.

_Ah, sir  
Times is hard.  
Times is hard._

She stopped and took the cooked meat pie out of the oven with a small paddle, laying it back down onto the top of the counter. She added the meat into it, it making an audible plopping noise. She grimaced slightly and covered it up with a baked part of the pie.

Axel paid no attention, though. He looked up at the ceiling drumming his fingers on the wooden table. His free hand gripped the end of his knee as he bit his lip lightly. He swore, at one time in his life, she had called this meat pie shop. He clicked his tongue to his the roof of his mouth, realizing he still had the dreaded taste in it. He grabbed the bottle of ale she had provided him with and swigged more down trying to get the taste out.

She glanced up at him and smirked.

"Trust me, dearie," She said, getting his attention, "It's gonna take a lot more than ale to wash that taste down."

He barely removed the bottle from his lips when he stared sharply at her. She smirked and walked out of the counter.

"Here, come with me," She said, "I'll get you a nice drop of jinn, aye?"

She walked towards the back of the shop glancing back at him to follow. He cautiously stood up and followed her, almost refusing to put the ale down. He dropped it down on the table and followed her, wood floor creaking.

She was already half way there when Axel had stopped. His eyes had moved toward his side and saw a staircase that led upstairs. He looked away, eyes depressed, and continued to follow her.

"Ain't this homey, now?" She said, in her living room. She had grabbed a bottle of jinn and a small cup pouring it in, "Got it for a bargain too. Only half singed from when the chapel burned down."

She swished the drink around tin the cup before handing it to him. He took it away from her slowly, eyes still on the staircase.

"Come, sit down," She said, putting the alcohol away, "Rest your bones for a while."

He glimpsed over his shoulder at her, and then walked away to where her couch was setting himself down on it.

"You want more room for this shop, yeah?" He asked, certain she'd say yes, "If times are so hard why don't you rent it out?"

Her eyes widened lightly at his words as they looked up at the ceiling.

"What up there?" She said, "No one will go near it."

A grand piano caught his attention and he stared at it, blankly. She stared at him, though, wondering why she had such a curiosity towards him. She glanced down at the floor and then looked back at him.

"People think it's haunted."

Axel's head whipped over his shoulder from her words. His eyes were wider, taken back by her comment on the upstairs room, or what people had believed to have been true. He sat up, still staring in disbelief.

"Haunted?" He quoted.

"Yeah," She said lightly, "Doubt to say that they're wrong."

Slowly she walked over by him, hands apart.

"You see," She started, "Years ago, something happened up there. Something not very nice."

She sat herself down in a separate chair, never taking her gaze off him.

_There was a barber and his wife.  
And he was beautiful...  
A proper artist with a knife,  
but they transported him for life.  
And he was beautiful..._

Axel's eyes narrowed at the way she explained his life.

"Barker, his name was," She said, "Lae Barker."

He looked as if he was going to cry. Memories came back to him, of Roxas, of Naminé. He furrowed his brows tighter together.

"What was his crime?" He asked voice hoarse.

"Foolishness," She responded looking down to the ground and back at him. She looked off to the side, out the window.

_He had this wife, you see  
Pretty little thing  
Silly little nit  
Had his chance for the moon on a string  
Poor thing  
Poor thing_

There was this judge, you see  
Wanted him like mad  
Every day he sent him a flower  
But did he come down from his tower  
Sat up there and sulked by the hour  
Poor fool  
Ah, but there was worse yet to come, poor thing

His eyes grew cloudy and he looked down afraid to hear more. His nostrils flared, though, at the sound of the judge.

_Well, Beadle calls on him all polite  
Poor thing  
Poor thing  
The judge, he tells him is all contrite  
He blames himself for his dreadful plight  
He must come straight to his house tonight  
Poor thing  
Poor thing_

Of course when he goes there - poor thing, poor thing,  
They're havin' this ball all in masks  
There's no one he knows there - poor dear, poor thing  
he wanders, tormented and drinks - poor thing  
The judge has repented, he thinks - poor thing  
Oh, where is Judge Turpin?' he asks  
He was there alright  
Only not so contrite

Her voice tensed and became more frantic and Axel's finger nails dug into the cushion of the couch. His throat begged to scream.

_He wasn't no match for such craft, you see  
And everyone thought it so droll  
They figured he had to be daft, you see  
So all of them stood there and laughed, you see  
Poor soul  
Poor thing_

"NO!"

Axel's voice boomed in through the air as he shot up to his feet. His fists were clenched tightly into red fists that the blonde woman claimed to see fire spark in. He calmed himself by breathing lightly.

"Would no one have mercy on him?" He asked, voice stricken with hate.

Larxene's green eyes widened half their size and stared up at him. Her hand was over her chest as she breathed heavily from his sudden outbreak.

She could see, though, this wasn't any ordinary man that was dreadfully feeling sympathy for this family. She could tell by the look in his eyes this was indeed Lae Turner.

"So it is you," She whispered, "Lae Barker."

"Where is Roxas?" He asked, "Where is my wife?"

"Stabbed himself," She told him. His face flushed, "Keyblade. Try'd to stop him."

A tear strayed down Axel's cheek and his mouth hung open. He thought to himself, after all the years of dreaming of coming home to a wife and child, nothing.

"And he's got your daughter," She told him.

"He?" He quoted, knowing who he was, "Judge Xemnas?"

She hesitated to speak to him, afraid he would yell again.

"Adopted her," She told him, looking down, "Like his own."

He walked away from her slowly, wood creaking lightly. He looked off and out the window, eyes cloud.

"Fifteen years" He murmured, "Staying, in a living hell. Fifteen years dreaming, I might come home to a wife and child."

Larxene sighed sympathetically and stood up from her chair, looking toward Axel's back.

"Well, I can't say the years have been particularly kind to you," She admitted. Her eyes made their way to the back of his head, "Mr. Barker."

"No!" He boomed again, "Not Barker. That man is dead. It's Todd now. Axel Todd. And he will have his revenge."


	3. My Friends

Author's note: **If you guys hate me for not updating after two years, I understand. I've just gone over a few changes over these years, and felt that my projects were becoming lesser and lesser. I feel a bit clearer now and decided to continue this story. Please bear with me! **

**I OWN NOTHING. **

* * *

Mrs. Larxene led Axel outside and upstairs, to the room that no one had touched for the past fifteen years. She couldn't help but to look back at him. His face was emotionless, but his eyes told a story to the world.

She unlocked the beaten door to the second floor, pushing it open with little ease. She entered in with no hesitation.

It was different to Axel, though. He stood in his spot outside the door and let the shock settle itself. The once bright and happier atmosphere he had remembered had completely left. Cobwebs were everywhere. The furniture was covered by sheets, while a broken mirror was left alone on a wall.

It wasn't until he saw Larxene prying one of the floorboards open that he awoke from his daze. Making a face, she gets it up and puts it to the side to reveal to him a hidden area. He remembered that area…

Gently, Larxene removed from the space what seemed to be a large velvet case. Her eyes moved towards Axel, who was already kneeling on the floor with her, ready for the case. He opened it, and immediately, his stomach warmed.

"When they came for your girl," Mrs. Larxene said, almost whispering, "I hid 'em. I thought, maybe one day. Must have been cracked in the head, aye?"

He didn't respond. His eyes seemed transfigured into the case. She peered over him to see what had been held in it. It had been so long.

"Those handles are silver," She said, "yes?"

"Silver," He breathed. His hand slowly went in, and traced the contents.

_**These are my friends,**_

_**See how they glisten.**_

He pulled out a chakram and held it so that the light could hit it perfectly, giving it such beauty. A smile twitched at his mouth.

_**See this one shine,**_

_**How he smiles in the light.**_

His fingers barely touched the object, afraid that it might all be fake.

_**My friend, my faithful friend.**_

_**Speak to me friend,**_

_**Whisper, I'll listen.**_

Mrs. Larxene watched as he brought his face closer to the sharp object, amazed by the scene. Her mouth was agape while her eyes followed every one of his fluid movements.

_**I know, I know--**_

_**You've been locked out of sight**_

_**All these years--**_

_**Like me, my friend.**_

He stood up and held the chakram in the air, making Larxene lose her breath. It was beautiful…and so was he.

_**Well, I've come home**_

_**To find you waiting.**_

Memories flocked into Axel's head. His shop, the customers, everything. It was all so close to him, and yet it had happened so long ago.

_**Home,**_

_**And we're together,**_

_**And we'll do wonders,**_

_**Won't we?**_

Larxene leaned close to Axel's face, behind him. Her eyes were not on the chakram, but the man.

_**You there my friend**_

Her voice rose to her throat at the sound of his singing. She joined with no hesitance.

_**I'm your friend, too, Mr. Todd**_

Their voices were combining together, as Axel serenaded his chakram and Larxene to him.

_**Come let me hold you**_

Her fingers dug into the clothes on his shoulders. He didn't even notice one bit of it.

_**If you only knew Mr. Todd**_

_**Now, move aside **_

_**Oh, Mr. Todd**_

_**You grow warm in my hand**_

_**You're warm in my hand**_

_**My friend**_

_**You've come home**_

_**My clever friend**_

_**Always had a fondness, for you I did**_

Their voices lowed together perfectly. Axel's eyes had softened and glistened as the memories still made their way through him. Larxene's never left his face.

_**Rest now, my friends**_

_**Never you fear, Mr. Todd**_

_**Soon I'll unfold you**_

_**You can move in here, Mr. Todd**_

_**Soon you'll know**_

_**Splendors you never **_

_**Have dreamed all**_

_**Your days**_

_**Will be yours**_

_**My lucky friends**_

_**I'm your friend**_

'_**Till now your shine **_

_**Was merely silver**_

_**Now you're mine**_

_**Don't they shine beautiful**_

_**Friends **_

_**Silver's good enough for me, Mr. T**_

Mrs. Larxene's grip on him loosened as his hand lowered with the chakram still in it. Now her eyes looked back at it, seeing a resemblance in the two of them. Both strong and bright, yet lonely after so many years of isolation. He continued to sing.

_**You shall drip rubies**_

_**You shall drip precious**_

_**Rubies **_

Finally being able to take his gaze away from his friend, he returned to his colder demeanor and looked at Larxene. She still was close enough to smell his breath.

"Please, leave me," He asked her, though seeming like it was more of a demand.

She didn't dare question his order. Keeping her eyes on him, until she came closer to the door, she walked out with a wide mouth, and a spinning head.

Axel's attention returned immediately to the chakram, which made him smirk. Holding it out at arm's length, his smirk turned into a wicked smile.

"At last," He yelled, "My arm is complete again!"

The feeling became intense as he glared out the window. One part of him was complete. Right at that moment, he felt his vengeance coming.


End file.
